IGF::OT::IGF TO ADDRESS THE URGENT NEED FOR 3D FLASH-LIDAR TECHNOLOGY FOR LANDING ON SOLAR SYSTEM BODIES AN…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF TO ADDRESS THE URGENT NEED FOR 3D FLASH-LIDAR TECHNOLOGY FOR LANDING ON SOLAR SYSTEM BODIES AND FOR SPACECRAFT RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING WITH SATELLITES, AN EFFORT IS PROPOSED TO FABRICATE, CHARACTERIZE, AND TEST A VERSATILE, HIGH-SENSITIVITY INGAAS APD 3D FLASH LIDAR AND TO ADVANCE THE TECHNOLOGY-READINESS LEVEL (TRL) OF LIDAR TECHNOLOGIES SUITABLE FOR NASA MISSION REQUIREMENTS. LEVERAGING AN EXISTING INGAAS APD FOCAL-PLANE ARRAY (FPA) TECHNOLOGY, IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE MADE TO INCREASE ITS RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE. THE HIGH-GAIN, LOW-EXCESS-NOISE APD FPAS WILL BE CHARACTERIZED AND INTEGRATED WITH MINIATURE CAMERA ELECTRONICS, ALONG WITH A MEDIUM-PULSE-ENERGY, HIGH-REPETITION-RATE, ULTRA-COMPACT, PULSED DIODE-PUMPED SOLID-STATE (DPSS) LASER. THE LIDAR SENSOR WILL BE SHOWN TO MEET NASA NEEDS IN TERMS OF SENSITIVITY AND 5-CM RANGE RESOLUTIONS. USING THESE RESULTS, A LARGE-FORMAT (E.G. 1024 X 1024, OR LARGER) FPA WILL BE DESIGNED FOR QUALIFICATION FOR SPACE MISSIONS.